Display scale wherein a drum is rotated by initial movement of the scale



Dec. 6, 1949 G. MARSDEN DISPLAY SCALE WHEREIN A DRUM IS ROTATED BY INITIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SCALE Flled Nov 2, 1945 I N VEN TOR. Gem: M15005 BY y "M M ATIWNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY SCALE WHEREIN A DRUM IS RO- TATED BY INITIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SCALE 4 Claims.

This invention has to do with a display scale and it is a general object of the invention to provide a machine incorporating an effective display or advertising device and a weighing mechanism or scale working in conjunction therewith so that the two work simultaneously and in which the scale is accurate and dependable.

My present invention is an improvement upon the general type of device which is the subject of Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,107,674, issued to me February 8, 1938. In the said patent I disclose a mechanism wherein a display device is combined or directly related to the indicating element of the scale so that the final driving force operating the indicator also operates the display device. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that for an accurate scale the driving force is not suflicient to effectively drive or operate a practical display device.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a mechanism of the general character referred to wherein the display device is related to the scale mechanism so that the display device is operated only by the initial movement of the scale while the final movement of the scale is entirely free of the display device and, consequently, can be delicate and accurate.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of the general character referred to involving a simple, inexpensive yet dependable combination of parts. The device of the present invention involves few simple parts, inexpensive of manufacture and which are dependable and effective in operation.

The various objects and features of may invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a typical platform scale embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of the scale showing the upper portion of the pedestal and a part of the head and a portion of the mechanism housed in the head and pedestal being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2 being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2, certain parts being broken away to show in section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 4 4 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 5 5 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of the mechanism, being an enlarged sectional view of the part of the mechanism shown in the lower portion of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 7 is a plan view taken as indicated by line l1 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 88 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a detailed view showing the final drive of the display device.

The device of the present invention can be applied to or incorporated in scales of various types or forms. It is, however, best suited for use in platform scales such as are commonly installed in public or semi-public places for the use of people desiring to ascertain their weight. The

device may be applied to or incorporated in a scale which is coin controlled or otherwise regulated. However, I have for sake of simplicity illustrated it as applied to a scale which has no control of this kind.

The particular scale that I have disclosed as typical of a mechanism in which the present invention can be incorporated or to which the device of the present invention can be applied, involves, generally, a frame or body having a base ID, a pedestal or column portion I l projecting upward from the rear end of the pedestal. A platform I3 is suitable mounted in the base [0 in the manner common to scale construction and is designed to carry the person or object being weighed. The pedestal II is preferably a hollow element tubular or hollow to accommodate various parts of the mechanisms that I am about to describe. The head I2 is on the upper end of the pedestal and may be in the nature of an enlargement or a hollow case carrying or housing certain parts of the mechanism, all as will be described.

The scale to which the invention is applied may further involve an indicator l5 which may vary widely in form. The indicator illustrated is in the form of a drum or graduated cylinder mounted on a suitable shaft l6 through anti-friction bearings H. The shaft is supported by brackets 18 fixed in the head I! so that the shaft extends horizontally through the head parallel with the front IQ of the head.

The scale illustrated further includes operating means connecting the indicator l5 and the platform l3. The operating means shown in the drawings involves a main or lower pull rod 20 operated from the platform through any suitable mechanism common to scale devices of this general character, a cross head 2| normally held elevated by a pair of springs 22, and a secondary or upper pull rod 23 which extends from the crosshead 2| to the vicinity of the indicator l5 and a connection between the rod 23 and the indicator. The connection between the rod 23 and the indicator l5 preferably includes a. simple straight rack 24 on the upper end of the rod 23 meshing 3 with and driving a gear 25 fixed to the indicator i5 concentric therewith. The springs 22 are carried by a fixed support 26 suitably locatedabove the cross head 2-! and'the mechanism just described includes the usual adjusting means such as a turnbuckle 27 or the like in the rod 28, and

an adjustable lever device 28 connecting the arm,

.23 with the cross head 2l.'

The mechanism thus far described is a typical or conventional scale mechanism and is a typical example of a device to which the present invention can be applied. With the. mechanism just described when the platform 13 is depressed, as

by a person standing on it the rod is moved? down against the resistance of the springs 22 thus causing the cross head 2.! to move down. As the cross head moves down it carries the rod 23- with it and downward movement of the. rod 23 rotates theindicator l5 through the rack and gear connection. This mechanism is'relatively simple and I reasonably accurate.

The scale includes, in addition to the parts just :described, a sight opening 39. in the front IQ of the head i2 opposite the indicator I5 so the scale of. the indicator can be seen. and compared with .-a suitablereference mark 3|, or the like. In accordance with conventional scale construction a transparent closure 32 is provided for the sight opening 35 and this'closure may be inthe formof .a lens whichmagnifies the scale on the indicator.

The mechanism that I have provided includes,

generally, a display device 35 preferably located in-the-vicinity ofor adjacent the indicator l5 and a drive .or' operating connection between the display device 35 and the leverage system or mechanism. of the scale whereby energy is taken from the scale mechanism only during. its initial movement to drive the display device, and the display deviceis free to. moveor operate following initial movement causedby release of the energy taken from the scale mechanism- The display devicetfi, as shown in the. drawings, may be a drum rotatably mounted on the shaft adjacent. the indicator l5 to run free on the shaft just. like the indicator l5 runs ontheshaft.

opening-1am]. its closure are extended to project substantially beyond the indicator l5 and behind the extended portion of the sight opening and its closure is the display device 35, so that one or more of the panels or portions 4110f the display .devicecanbe seenv by a. person viewing. the indicator Hi.

. Thepresentvinvention contemplates taking energy from the scale mechanism preferably ata point where there is a substantial. amount of energy and so that itwillnot interfere with the balance or action ofthe scale. In the preferred arrangement I take the energy from the cross headZl of the scale mechanism and store it in a spring. 4!. to berelea-sed so that it drives the display device. In the particular form of the invention illustrated the mechanism involves an oscillating shaft 43: supported. in. suitable bearing brackets 44. A cam member 45 is carried on the shaft43 andhasa cam. slot formed in it with a radially extendin portion .46.- which .communi cates at its outer end with a tangential portion 41. A lever 48 is carried by a pivot pin 49 mounted on the-cross head 21 and an operating pin 58) projects from the lever 48'and operates in the slots 46 and 41 of the cam 45. A suitable spring 5W is provided to normally yieldingly urge the lever 48 in a directionto cause the pin to normally tend to move toward the shaft 43. The parts of the mechanism. just described are arranged and related so that when the scale is in the normal or unactuated position the radial portion 45 of the cam slot extends substantially horizontally while the tangential portion 41, of the slot extends downwardly. During the first or initial movement of the scale the lever 48 is carried down by the cross head and thepin 50 bears down on the lower wall ofthe slot portion 46 thus causing the shaft 43, to rotate. This continues until'the angle of the slotrportion- 46. is downward. sufiicient to allow the pin 56 to slip out of the slot portion 46 and enter the portion 41 where it is free to move downward. Through ;this arrangementduring the, initial operation of the scale the shaft 43 is rotated a predetermined amount whereafterthe scale is: freed to-movefur- 'ther and as it moves further; the; indicator I5 is operated in the usual mannerv and its operation ilO is in no way interfered with or impaired bythe mechanism that I have provided:

The shaft 43 carries an arm 50 which normally projects horizontally but which is swung or turned downwardly as the shaft 43 is rotated in themanner just described. The arm engages the shoulder 5| of a latch head 52 provided. on the lower end of a rod' 53. The latch head 52 has a camsurface 54 which cooperates with a fixed abutment55 which is preferably adjustable and set in position by a lock nut 56. The parts are arranged and related so that as the arm 50 rotates downward due to rotation of the shaft 43 the latch head 52 is moved downward carrying the rod 53' with it. As thelatch head and'rod move downward the abutment 55 rcooperating with thecam surface 54 causes the latch head to be moved out, as indicated by the 'arrowin Fig. 6, and'justbefore the arm 50-reaches the end of its turning movement the arm 50 disengages from the shoulder 51 releasing the latch head from the arm.

The storage spring 4| is connected to the bar or rod 53 and normally yieldingly urges it upwardly. The spring 4| is a tension spring connected to a fixed bracket 60,. As the bar 53 moves downward the sprin 4! is extended and thus energy is storedin' it to be released when the latch head 52 is released from. the arm 50.

The rod 53 is slidably pivotally supported for limited vertical movement and for the necessary pivotal movement. In the arrangement illustrated a pivot pin 61 ,is carried by the bracket which also carries. the spring 4! and operates in a slot '52 provided inthe rodv 53. The slotand pin cooperate. to. allow therod to-pivot. or swing in the desired manner,.and also to move vertically in the desired manner, limiting the upward movement of'the bar so that it does. notmove up beyond the. position shown in Fig. 6. Inthis position thecam member is located to receive, the pin 55 in the. slot portion as the. scale, returns to a normal position. The spring 5| operates lever 48 sopin 55 enters the. slot portion 46.

An operating extension or link 10 is pivotally connected tov the upper end of the bar or rod 53 and extends upward to the vicinity of; theydis play device 35 where it connects to a pivoted arm H which carries a pawl 12 cooperating with a toothed wheel 13 that drives the display device 35. In the preferred arrangement the arm H is pivotally carried on the shaft l6 which carries the indicator and display device 35. The pawl 12 is mounted on the outer end of the arm H by a pivot pin 15 and a spring 16 acts to normally yieldingly urge the pawl inward into engagement with the toothed member 13. The toothed member 13 is mounted concentric with the display device 35. The pawl 12 engages and cooperates with the teeth 18 of the member 13 so that upon upward movement of the arm H the toothed member 13 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10, but when the arm H is moved down the pawl drags over the teeth without turning the member 13. In practice the teeth 18 are provided with recesses 19 to receive the end of the pawl to prevent the pawl from slipping from the teeth as the member 13 is driven by the pawl.

With the mechanism just described when the latch head 52 is released from the arm 50 through cooperation of the abutment 5| and cam surface 54, the spring 4| having the energy stored in it as above described moves the bar 63 upward rapidly and through the link ii! the arm H is rapidly moved upward. The rapid upward movement of the arm H moves the pawl 12 so that it rapidly moves the member I3 starting it to spin and as it spins it carries the display device with it. When the upward movement of the arm H stops, the member 13 with the display device is free to spin or continue to turn until the kinetic energy in them is dissipated. The teeth 18 pass the pawl 12 and when the parts finally come to rest the pawl 12 takes a position in the notch 18 of one of the teeth so the mechanism is ready for another operation.

Through the mechanism that I have just described the display device 35 is spun and is allowed to turn free after being started in motion. However, it is to be understood that the parts may be arranged, proportioned and related so that the display device is moved a predetermined amount for each operation and is not spun in the manner that I have described.

From the foregoing description and from the drawings it will be understood how the entire scale mechanism, apart from the platform, may be and preferably is housed entirely within the frame of lthe scale and how the entire mechanism that I have provided is housed within the scale.

Considering my present invention broadly I may connect my mechanism to any moving part of the scale and in the case illustrated I have connected it to a moving part of the mechanism connecting the platform and indicator. In the particular arrangement that I have shown and described m entire mechanism is housed within the upper portion of the pedestal and within the head of the scale so that no parts are exposed and so that the display device 35 is the only part visible through the sight opening.

If desired a counter 90 may be openatively courpled with a suitable working part of the mechanism above described, as :by a connecting rod 9|, so that count is kept of the operations of the machine.

Having described a typical form of my invention and having described it in connection with a typical scale it will be understood how I have provided a display device in connection with a scale to be operated as the scale is operated but only during the initial period of operation ofthe scale, so that the display device does not burden the scale in any way to interfere with its accuracy or freedom of movement. In the case of a scale of the general character referred to the parts can be arranged and related so that the display device is operated only during the application of about 40 to 60 pounds to the platform of the scale, and any additional weight operates to move the indicator l5 and after the initial weight has been applied itO move the display device all of the weight operates to move the indicator, and the display device is freed from the scale mechanism so that it does not impair it in any way.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variation-s or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of :the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a scale having a plat form and an indicator operated from the platform, a display device and a drive between the display device and the scale including, an energy storing means including a latch controlling a spring, a mechanism acting to supply energy to said spring only during the initial operation of the scales and releasing the latch when the spring has received the supply of energy, and a drive between said means and the display device.

2. In combination with a scale having a platform and an indicator operated from the platform, a display device and a drive between the display device and the scale including, an energy storing means, a mechanism acting to supply energy to said means only during the initial operation of the scales, and a drive between said means and the display device including a latch holding said means against discharge of energy until it has received a predetermined amount of energy from said mechanism.

3. In combination with a scale having a platform and an indicator operated from the platform, a display device and a drive between the display device and the scale including, a spring, a mechanism acting to supply energy to the spring only during the initial operation of the scales, a latch normally restraining the spring, and cam means releasing the latch following said initial operation of the scales, and a drive between the spring and the display device including a ratchet allowing overtravel of the display device.

4. In combination with a scale having a platform and an indicator operated from the platform, a display device and a drive between the display device and the scale including, an energy storing means, a mechanism acting to supply energy to said means only during the initial operation of the scales, and a drive between said means and the display device, said means including a tension spring, a latch holding the spring against action, and means operable to release the latch after predetermined operation of the scale.

GEORGE MARSDEN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Howard July 9, 1907 Number 

